el toro preview 00-01

The "official' high school season in Southern California begins tomorrow, November 27, when teams can schedule their first regular games. And some of the more traditional (e.g., newspaper) media have been printing and publishing league and team profiles too, which is a very good thing, because it saves us a ton of time in researching our own previews and profiles. So with thanks to the OC Register (which did a short preview of the South Coast League boys' and girls teams today), here's our own SoCalHoops preview of the South Coast League teams. Rather than do this as one solid "league" profile though, we've broken the reviews down team by team, in to separate reports.

El Toro Chargers
Division I-AA
City: Lake Forest
Nickname: Chargers
Colors: Blue & Gold
Head Coach: Todd Dixon
Assistant Coaches: Mack Powell, Dick Cobb
Overall Record 24-5; League Record: 10-0 (1st Place)
Returning Players:

1999-2000 South Coast League Final Standings
Team	League	Overall
El Toro	10-0	24-5
Capistrano Valley	7-3	17-9
San Clemente	5-5	14-10
Trabuco Hills	5-5	13-13
Mission Viejo	3-17	12-14
Dana Hills	0-10	6-20

El Toro is once again picked by the league's coaches to finish first again, and with most of the team's offense returning from last season (and despite the loss of 8 graduated seniors from last year's team), this will continue to be a very tough squad in 2000-2001.

2000-2001 El Toro Chargers
Partial Roster

Ashkan Nazeri

6'-1" Jr. G

Israel Aldana

5'-11" So. G

Matt Danison

6'-1" So. G

Matt Geen

6'-8" Sr. F

Bernard Jackson

6'-1" So. G

Ken Tanaka

5'-11" Sr. G

Chris Parish

6'-3" Sr. G

Chris Fairbanks

6'-4" Jr. F

Jeff Young

5'-10" Sr. G

Nolan Schmitd

6'-3" So. F

Kevin England

6'-5" Jr. C

2000-2001 El Toro Chargers
Schedule

Date

Opponent

Nov. 29

Los Alamitos

Dec 1

@Aliso Niguel

Dec. 4-9

@Newport Harbor Tournament

Dec 12-16

@Katella Tournament

Dec 18-20

@Bullhead City, AZ Tournament

Jan 3

Servite

Jan 5

@Irvine

Jan 10

@*Trabuco Hills

Jan 12

*San Clemente

Jan 17

@*Capistrano Valley

Jan 19

@*Mission Viejo

Jan 22

@*Dana Hills

Jan 24

*Trabuco Hills

Jan 26

@*San Clemente

Feb 2

*Capistrano Valley

Feb 6

*Mission Viejo

Feb 8

*Dana Hills

Coach Todd Dixon returns for his 5th season, and he's compiled a 75-36 won-loss record. Last year the Chargers made it to the quarterfinals of the D-IAA playoffs with a lot of junior scoring and much senior leadership. But that senior leadership only accounted for less than half their typical point output, and the team averaged 76 ppg, and most of the top scorers should be returning, including Ashkan Nazeri and Chris Parish. The Chargers have won two league titles, one in 1986 and last season. Their playoff experience will certainly help. They got a bye in the first round as a reward for winning the league, then beat Esperanza and Arroyo Grande in succession in the second and third rounds, before getting dropped by Rialto in the round of quarterfinals. We think they can not only repeat that feat, but they might challenge for a section title if everything falls into place.

Ashkan Nazeri is the leader on offense, and he was the leading scorer last season, averaging 16.2 ppg. He was named First Team All-CIF in the Division, and was also selected as the South Coast League's Co-Player of the Year along with teammate Chris Parish, who himself averaged 14 ppg and 4 rpg. Ken Tanaka will likely run the backcourt offense at the one, and he is also capable of putting some points on the board in addition to dishing out the ball to Parish and Nazeri. Tanaka averaged 6 ppg and 2 rpg last season. Another key player returning is Matt Green, who has grown another two inches since last season and is now up to 6'-8" and 225 lbs. The Chargers will also welcome newcomers Chris Fairbanks and Jeff Young.

El Toro will play mostly locally, with the exception of a tournament in Bullhead City, Arizona from December 18-20, and then they get a long layoff over the Christmas Holidays, not returning until January 3 for a non-league contest against Servite, followed by Irvine, and then the start of league play.